Welcome! At Inspired By, we believe creativity can spark from the simplest things—a cozy photo, a fun sketch, or a seasonal theme. Each week we share a fresh inspiration image and a coordinating sketch to get your ideas flowing. Whether you’re into cardmaking, scrapbooking, mixed media, or any type of project, you’re invited to interpret the challenge your way. There’s no right or wrong—just inspiration and creativity. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Current Challenge

  • When I saw this week’s Inspired By theme was Daisies, I knew immediately that I wanted to use my Daisy Bed embossing folder from Altenew.

    Instead of white daisies, I decided to use the the prompt colors for my bed of daisies. I used Catherine Pooler “Icing on the Cake” brown ink for the blackout technique, and then blending brushes to ink up the daisies with tones of reds, blues, and golds.

    This is the first time I have successfully pulled off the black out technique. This beautiful 3D embossing folder really lends itself to this technique and Catherine Pooler ink pads are nice and juicy, so you don’t have to swipe repeatedly to create the blackout effect.

    The Happy Birthday sentiment is from MFT Stamps.

    We hope that something in this week’s Inspired By theme will inspire you to join us! ~MarDi

  • We had so many fintastic (I had to 😏) creations last week.

    SmilynStef

    Not only is this bright and colourful it’s the little fish in the bottom right that got me! Congratulations Stephanie!

    Don’t forget to play along this week.

  • Something special about daisies and birthdays. Together they make things extra special. For today’s project I created a Birthday Box card from Lori Whitlock, it is bright and cheerful floral birthday card filled with layered daisies, greenery, sweet pink accents and just happy vibes!

    This project is perfect for so many occasions, and the best thing about box cards is that they fold flat for mailing and then pop up, making the card a true gift for the recipient.

    Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to create something colorful, happy and blooming. Please share with us!

    ~Cathy

  • Hi, it’s Amy @craftee1. My project was inspired by the newest Inspired by Challenge: Fish

    I was inspired by the colors + theme. My card features the following Hero Arts products:

    • Big Mouth Sardine | die
    • Well Preserved | stamp & cut
    • Floral Tiles | Cling Stamp of the Month – May 2025
    • Raindrop Ripples | Cling Stamp of the Month – April 2025

    I used the following cardstock:

    • Seaside – Spellbinders ColorWheel
    • Fog – Spellbinders ColorWheel
    • Granite – Hero Arts
    • Anchor – – Spellbinders ColorWheel

    I also used Hero Reactive – Pool Party + Hero Core Ink Granite.

    I can’t wait to see how you’re inspired!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Some links may be affiliate at no extra cost to you:

    https://linkdeli.com/widget.js?id=f5e8378456858c916708
  •  Hello everyone. Von Marie here and I’m excited to be on the Blog today. We have a New challenge this week for Inspired by…blog and the theme is Fish #IB391.  There’s also a fun card sketch and color inspiration.  

    Let’s Get Started:


    Here’s how I was inspired. I chose to make my card according to the fish theme, colors, and card sketch. I love the Monochromatic Look. I used a stamp set retired from Reverse Confetti called Punny Party. I stamped my 3 fish with a stamp block and memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock.  I then colored my images with my cool and warm copic markers.  I then fussy cut out my fish and stamped a sentiment from the same stamp set.

    I glued my fish using the cards sketch and face them different ways. So much fun.  My white panel was cut to 4 x 5 1/4. I glued all to a gray top folding card base and my sentiment was cut with my paper trimmer. I love how easy this card was and makes a great CAS card.

    I even glued two extra fish inside my card for fun.

    I hope you join us.  Let us know how you are inspired whether it be the theme, card sketch, and or colors.  Show us your card in our FB group too and don’t forget to tag us on the Socials!

    Crafty Hugs

    Von Marie


  • I think it’s pretty apparent that I was inspired by the photo, colors, and sketch in this week’s FISH challenge.

    It’s always nice to find fun ways to create masculine cards. I used Concord and 9th FISH FRIENDS STENCIL PACK to create gray fish and dusty blue fish and then fussy cut them since I don’t own the dies (haven’t been able to find them). I layered them all on wood veneer paper and die cut the Happy Birthday sentiment from an Ellen Hutson die I’ve had for ages.

    We hope you are inspired to join the fun this week! ~MarDi

  • Lovely takes on last week’s inspiration!

    Inkblissbyjb

    She really captured the inspiration in so many ways! Love all the little details! Congratulations 👏🏻

    Don’t forget to play along this week

  • I’m late to the party this week, but I couldn’t resist posting a card inspired by the awesome wooden FISH! It gave me some time to use some new products that were perfect for this challenge.

    I used The Greetery’s new Hey Honeycomb: Fish but embossed it with a woodgrain embossing folder instead of adding a crepe ball to the center. The background is made with the new Making Waves stencil and embossing folder, and Tim Holtz Distress Spray Stains in the colors Unraveled and Winter Frost…shimmery!

    I added a Rustic Star: Small that was a finished piece leftover from another time! The sentiment is from Hey Honeycomb: Summer Sentiments.

    Have a FIN-tastic day and we can’t wait to see how you are inspired by this week’s challenge!

  • Something so cheerful about this little fish and this fun little card was inspired by the fun coastal color palette by this week’s challenge. I loved the soft blues and ocean feel and just wanted to go with the fish theme. So a fishbowl card it is.

    I created a layered fishbowl design filled with soft patterned water, floating bubbles, and a sweet little orange goldfish . This card is simple and friendly~perfect for sending a quick hello to brighten someone’s day.

    Please join the fun and share with us what you create with this week’s challenge.

    Cathy